Claudia Jordan is crying foul over her loss in our poll comparing her to Tila Tequila, aka Thien Thanh Thi Nguyen. Jordan claims Tila got more votes because she has more MySpace friends.
Cue the violins!
Filed under: TV, Wacky & Weird
First of all, Sherman Hemsley still is alive. Secondly, we found a lawsuit where two guys are in a dogfight over his residuals.
Poor George went broke in the mid '90's. Two guys, William Little and David Pullman, bought the actor's residuals from "The Jefferson's" and other shows. They got into a fight and, according to the suit, Little paid Pullman $42,500. In return, Pullman allegedly released all claims to the residuals.
Fast forward to April 2008, when the Screen Actors Guild had a check for Hemsley's residuals. The grand total -- $10,000. In the lawsuit filed Monday in L.A. County Superior Court, Little claims Pullman has contacted SAG, demanding that the money be withheld from Little.
Little is suing for $25,000.01. The penny is for that Old Navy commercial.
Filed under: TV
What if you held "American Idol" auditions and no one showed up?! Not paging Nigel Lythgoe!
On Saturday, "A.I." held one of their typical open call auditions in San Juan, Puerto Rico and instead of the usual capacity crowds lined up practicing their awful renditions of tired Whitney Houston standards, according to El Nuevo Dia, only around 300 fools turned out. Ay dios mio! In contrast, last month 7,000 wannabe Taylor Hicks' camped out overnight at auditions held in Northern California.
In other words, don't expect to see a Spanish-language Carrie Underwood album anytime soon.
Filed under: TV, American Idol
If James "Scotty" Doohan from "Star Trek" was alive today, he wouldn't be happy with what just happened to his ashes.
Doohan's ashes, along with 200 other people's remains, were supposed to be released into space on Saturday night by a rocket also carrying three satellites -- but the rocket never made it into orbit. It's currently in a bunch of pieces in a bunch of different places.
Real-life astronaut and original Mercury 7 crew member Gordon Cooper's ashes also were lost during the botched mission.
Filed under: TV, Wacky & Weird
The gay cowboy from Texas on this season's "Big Brother" needs a new ride and he's willing to sell you the shirt off his back to get it. Literally.
Steven needs the dough for a new truck -- his old one blew up on the way to "Big Brother" -- and he's auctioning off the University of Texas muscle shirt on eBay to raise the cash. One unappealing -- or appealing, depending on what you're into -- selling point: He wore it the entire time he was on the show.
Last time we checked, $122.50 is the highest bid.
Filed under: TV, Reality TV
Please forgive "G.H.'s" Laura Spencer Genie Francis if she forgets some of her castmates on the show.
She's Luke's girl, not Jessie's Girl.
Filed under: TV
Dina Lohan is ready to roll heads, after learning from TMZ that her 14-year-old daughter had a casting call with a big-time, award winning porn director.
Ali Lohan's rep tells us the girl had no idea that Peter Davy was behind such classics as "Breast Wishes 14" and "Bun Busters 12." Sources tell us the meeting was actually set up by Ali's agent. Apparently, no one gave Dina a heads up -- pardon the expression.
Officially, Dina is upset. Unofficially, we know she went nuclear.
Filed under: TV, Wacky & Weird, Lindsay Lohan
Yeah, it's sad that Willie Aames -- aka Buddy from "Charles in Charge" -- has filed for bankruptcy. But what's even sadder is how little coin he had to begin with. 
We've gotten a copy of Willie's bankruptcy filing in Kansas (where he lives) and it seems that Aames was lowballed on his low-level fame. The actor received only $14K for being on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" and 15 grand for his book "Grace is Enough" about his struggles with drugs and money. He's about $350,000 in the hole, total.
The last time we caught up with Willie, he and his son had just gotten jacked at gunpoint in January but it looks like the real robbery happened well before that. Get this guy a new manager!
Filed under: TV, Wacky & Weird
Suzanne Crough became somewhat famous for a hot minute playing Tracy Partridge on the '70s TV series "The Partridge Family." Guess what she looks like now!
Filed under: TV, Baby Watch, 'Memba Them?!
One of Univision's most senior reporters says she's getting the shaft for the anchor desk and mucho dinero because she has too much pigment.
Myriam Ayala alleges in a Federal lawsuit that the network has assigned "lighter complexioned" and more "conventionally attractive" talent to plum assignments and anchor time slots. Ayala also complains that she got moved to the graveyard shift and had her vacay cut even though she's been at the network for 25 years.
We called Univision for comment but, so far, nada.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs played Sweathog Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington on the '70s TV series "Welcome Back Kotter." Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: TV, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Country wreck Mindy McCready's trip to Dr. Phil-approved rehab comes with an added bonus -- a spot on Dr. Phil's couch.
While there were conflicting reports as to whether McCready was in rehab for addictions or for psychiatric issues, a source close to Mindz tells us she is at a Texas center that specializes in both drug addiction and mental health issues. Two for one.
We're told Dr. Phil set the whole thing up and will pop in to see her in a week or so. McCready will spend a total of 30 days at the facility and her rehabilitation will culminate with the taping of an in-studio appearance on "The Dr. Phil Show." Our sources tell us Mindy will attempt to explain how she doesn't think she has a problem. She's tellin' the story.
It looks like LC's fashion designing career could be as fake as "The Hills"!
Sources close to the Lauren Conrad line tell us LC's claim that she's involved in every step of the design process is overstated. We're told, "You never see her picking out fabrics, or in the cutting room, or even at the drawing board. She's not the designer, the only step she's involved in is the promotion."
We're also told the clothing line mainly is fashioned by Sherri Roozrak-Wood, a former designer for Tart. And surprise! LC's clothes look an awful lot like some of the old Tart designs.
Our spies were at Kress nightclub last week, and they tell us they overheard LC tell an aspiring designer that she wished she knew how to sketch. Cuts you up!
We talked to LC about the claims made, and she tells us, "These claims are ridiculous. Anyone who knows me knows how important designing is to me and how much time and devotion I put into my own line. I am and always have been the sole designer of the Lauren Conrad Collection."
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: TV, Fashion Police, The Hills
Carnegie Mellon professor turned "Last Lecture" Internet sensation Randy Pausch has died. He was 47.
Last September, Pausch's "Last Lecture" speech -- which was actually called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" -- became a viral phenomenon and was even retold in its entirety on Oprah.
Pausch had been battling pancreatic cancer and passed away early this morning. He is survived by his wife and three children.
Matt LeBlanc wants his former manager, who's suing him, to undergo a mental evaluation. So unfriendly!
Camille Cerio filed suit against the actor last August, claiming he owed her massive amounts of cash stemming from a little TV show he did called "Friends." Cerio says she signed an agreement parting ways with Joey 12 years ago, but now alleges that piece of paper is invalid because she was depressed at the time she signed it, and unable to enter into any agreement. Matt's camp is not buying, and now wants Cerio to put her money where her mouth is and prove she's crazazy.
A hearing is set for August 13.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV
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